Just over six months on from their last visit to the Czech capital, Steven Gerrard's Rangers return to Prague as they aim to pick up the first points of their Europa League group campaign.

The Scottish champions were eliminated by Slavia Prague in the round of 16 last term, but this time face a Sparta side who dished out back-to-back 4-1 hammerings to rivals Celtic in the 2020-21 group stage.

Here, BBC Scotland finds out what Rangers can expect, how they can win and why Ondrej Kudela's race charge is clouding the contest.

'Sparta stronger than last year'

While Rangers' last encounter with Sparta came in a 1991 European Cup defeat, Celtic were tasked with playing the Czech side home and away just last season.

Sparta travelled to Glasgow with Neil Lennon's side on the back of a four-game winless run, and that was emphatically extended to five after the visitors dismantled the then Scottish champions.

The Parkhead club's following group game was a trip to Prague, and despite going a goal up through Odsonne Edouard, Sparta inflicted the same damaging scoreline.

However, the six points Sparta picked up against Lennon's men were the only ones they accumulated in a failed attempt to make the knockout stage.

"Everyone connected to Sparta understands Celtic are much weaker opponents and they played them at their worst," Czech football writer Martin Vait tells BBC Scotland. "Rangers will be a different proposition. This is seen as a 50/50."

Last season's top scorer Lukas Julis - who netted five of Sparta's eight goals against Celtic - remains at the club, but has had an injury-plighted start to the campaign.

There has, though, been a change in the dugout. Vaclav Kotal was replaced by former Czech national team coach Pavel Vrba in February, and Vait believes Sparta are a tougher proposition for Rangers with the ex-Ludogorets boss at the helm.

"If you compare this year's Sparta with last year, I would say they are stronger now," he says. "Vbra is a really established Czech coach. He is probably one of the best the Czech Republic have had in the last 10 years.

"He's tried to instil an offensive style of football to Sparta. They went on to finish second to Slavia and they flew out the blocks this season."
'Nullify Hlozek, you win the game'

Although they suffered Champions League elimination at the hands of Monaco in their third-round qualifier, Sparta started their league campaign with five wins from six - scoring 16 goals in the process.

But their form has stuttered in recent weeks, with defeat by Viktoria Plzen and a home draw against Jablonec - who were thumped by Celtic in the Europa League qualifiers - bookending a goalless stalemate at Brondby in their opening group game.

The Czech side put an end to that three-game winless run with a 5-2 victory at Zlin on Saturday, meaning a 3-2 loss at Plzen earlier this month remains the Czech side's only domestic defeat.

And Vait feels Gerrard can blueprint that to his advantage on Thursday - so long as the Ibrox side keep "rising star" Adam Hlozek quiet.

"If you nullify Hlozek and manage what is coming from the wings, you have effectively won the game," Vait says. "David Moberg Karlsson is also very good one-on-one on the wing but he is not one to track back a lot.

"What Rangers should fear is if Sparta are given time on the ball. They are good in interplay and they can kill you with good combinations. Playing positively, proactively and pressing effectively is key."

Rangers were dumped out of last season's competition by an impressive Slavia - who also eliminated Premier League side Leicester City - on their way to the quarter-final, while going on to win the Czech top flight by 12 points.

However, despite the fact they will be playing in the Conference League this season, Vait says Sparta should not be as daunting a proposition for the Scottish side.

"The recruitment between both teams is one of the main differences," Vait explains. "Every Slavia player is athletic and tactically astute, but Sparta rely a lot on their academy.

"They excel in that and you can see it now with Hlozek, but against tougher opponents they always crash. The mentality, belief and the way the squad is constructed isn't balanced."
'Kudela affair still dominating storylines'

Slavia's last-16 win at Ibrox was soured by a racist incident between defender Kudela and Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara. Kudela was banned for 10 matches after racially abusing Kamara, who was suspended for three games for assaulting the Slavia man in the tunnel.

Rangers will be back in Prague for the first time since the incident on Thursday and will face a Sparta side who are also dealing with a racial breach of their own.

Only children - and adults supervising them - will be permitted access to the game after the club were charged by Uefa after racial abuse was directed by fans towards Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni last month.

"Although it's not nice for Sparta fans not to be at the stadium and the majority are decent people, there is friction there with Rangers that would have added fuel to the troubles and problems," he said. "It's undeniable that this will help de-escalate the whole problem.

"The Kudela affair is still dominating the storylines of many fans and people of the Czech Republic. It's created massive hysteria in the media and the public. It's a really toxic incident and a difficult one to talk about."